Slub mechanism and signal generator therefor



1957 H. H. DUNN ETAL 2,81

SLUB MECHANISM AND SIGNAL GENERATOR THEREFOR Filed May 11, 1955 3Sheets-Sheet l Mum? Yuum mu IIQIHITEHHH INVENTORJ HAROLD H.DUNN v EDGARH. GRANBERRY Mi; fidhO W A TTOR/VEYS 1957 H. H. DUNN ETAL 2,810,165

SLUB MECHANISM AND SIGNAL GENERATOR THEREFOR Filed May 11, 1955 3Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TORS HAROLD H. DUNN By EDGAR H. GRANBERRY ATTOR/VEYS Oct. 22, 1957 H. H. DUNN' ET AL 2,810,165

SLUB MECHANISM AND SIGNAL GENERATOR THEREFOR 3 Shee ts-Sheet 3 Filed May11., 1955 INVENTORS .HAROLD H. DUNN By EDGAR H. GRANBERRY fiu% ATTORNEYSnee SLUB MECHANISM AND SIGNAL GENERATOR THEREFOR Application May 1-1,1955, Serial o. 507,546 7 Claims. n. 19-1435 This invention relates toslubbing mechanisms, and in particular to an improved signal generatortherefor. In general the invention relates to spinning frames in whichthe usual crown gear is provided with an overrunning clutch, and analternate drive which includes a magnetic clutch is provided to thecrown gear overrunning clutch. The novel signal generator of theinvention controls the operation of the'magnetic clutch.

A principal object of the invention is to provide improved slubbingmechanisms for spinning frames. A related object is the provisionofasimple, sturdy and versatile signal generator for actuating the slubmechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide a signal generatorincorporating a disc cam pattern control, constructed and mounted forquick and easy removal and replacement.

Another object is to provide a signal generator including a change gearconstructed and mounted to facilitate quick and simple substitution,whereby complete versatility is effected.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a signal generator unitfor spinning frame slub mechanisms which is reliable, compact, smoothand positive. in operation, and requires a minimum of service andrepair. Further objects will be in part evident. and in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention and the novel features thereof may best be made clear fromthe following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a spinning frameincorporating the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the signalgenerator;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the signal generator of Figure 2,looking toward the bottom end thereof;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the device of Figure 2, lookingtoward the left-hand side thereof, with the cam disc partially brokenaway to show the drive thereto;

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of the device of Figure 2, lookingtoward the top end thereof, with the cam disc, change gear andassociated elements partly sectioned to show the manner of assembly, and

Figure 6 is a partial elevational view similar to Figure 5, illustratingfurther details.

Referring to the drawings in detail, in Figure l is shown the main driveor cylinder shaft 10 of a spinning frame, adapted to drive both sidesthereof in conventional manner. While only one side of the frame isillustrated, it will be understood that the opposite side is similar.The cylinder shaft 10 through its cylinder gear 12 drives the jack gear14, and its associated twist change gear 16 drives the intermediate gear18 of the frame. The intermediate gear 18, as is customary, drives thefront roll drive gear 20, thereby directly rotating the bottom frontroll 22. From the front roll gear 24, power is transmitted through crowngear 26, draft change gear 28 and the back roll drive gear 30 todrivethe back roll 32, and this drive is transmitted through back rollgear 34 and idler 36 to the intermediate roll gear 38 and intermediateroll 40. p

The mechanism described in the preceding paragraph is conventional andwell known. According to our present invention, however, an overrunningclutch 42 is incorporated into the crown gear 26, and an alternate driveto the overrunning clutch is provided. Preferably, the alternate driveis taken from intermediate gear 18, through shaft 44 and sprocket 46.The drive sprocket 46 is engaged by a chain 48 to a similar sprocketfixed on the input shaft 50 of an electromagnetic clutch 52, and theoutput shaft 54 of this clutch is engaged by its sprocket and chain 56to a sprocket 58, engaged to the overrunning clutch 42 and. adapted todrive. through it, when electro-magnetic clutch 52 is energized andengaged, the draft change gear 28 at a speed greater than thatordinarily imparted to it by gear 24 and crown. gear 26. As will bevreadily understood, temporary energization of the electro-magneticclutch 52 will be eifective to momentarily speed up back roll 32 andintermediate roll 40, as compared to their normal rotational speeds, tothereby make a slub ineach yarn between intermediate roll 40 and thefront roll 22.

To operate and control the electro-magnetic clutch 52 in predeterminedmanner relative to the frame drive, a novel signalgenerator indicatedgenerally as 6.0 is provided. The signal generator is driven by a signalunit drive gear 62, engaged in the preferred embodiment to the frontroll drive gear. 20, as shown. Gear 62 drives sprocket 64 through ashaft 66, and the rotation. of sprocket 64 is transmitted through chain68 to, a sprocket fixed on the input shaft70 of a gear reducer 72. Thesignal unit gear reducer may be of conventional type, having a reductionratio for example of 50 to 1. The output shaft 74 of the gear reducermounts an output gear 76, which. is engaged through an idler gear 78 toa change gear 80 mounted on. a suitably supported cam shaft 82. The camshaft 82 carries a cam disc 84, provided with one or more edge slots 86.A switch 88.. operated by a cam follower in contact with the, peripheraledge of the cam disc 84 is adapted to close a circuit through conductors92, 94 and 96, from a suitable power source 93 to the electro-magneticclutch. 52. The power may be, for example, 90-volt direct current, andmay be derived from rectifiers or otherwise.

Details of the signal generator 60 are illustrated in Figures 2 to 6. Asthere shown, the unit comprises a base plate 100, adapted to be mountedat any convenient place on the frame, and preferably at the head endthereof; The gear reducer 72 is rigidly mounted on the base plate, as bybolts 102. A cam shaft bearing bracket. 104- is mounted directly atopthe gear reducer, preferably with an intervening gasket 106, by means ofscrews 108 or in similar conventional fashion. The bracket 104 carriesan upstanding bearing lug 110, and at its opposite edge. another bearinglug 112, which is formed however with a vertically extended portion 114in which iscut the vertically extending slot 116. Lugs 110 and 112 areapertured in alignment, and rotatably support thereby the cam shaft 82,which is disposed, as shown, in parallelism to and directly above thegear reducer output shaft 74. The cam shaft, it will be noted, extendsoutwardly beyond the end of output shaft 74.

As shown in Figure 6, the gear reducer output shaft 74:

erably the output gear 76, is mounted in conventional.

Referring; to Figure 5, the cam shaft 82 outwardly of lug,1-12 ,is.-.

manner for. easy removal and replacement.

formed. into an enlarged. section 122, which: terminates inwardly atshoulder 124 of its integral collar 126. Change gear 80 is mounted onthe enlarged section 122 of the cam shaft, against the shoulder 124,whereby when collar 126 abuts lug 112 it is aligned with the output gear76. The change gear 88 is readily removable axially, but prevented fromrotation relative to the cam shaft as by a key 128. Beyond the changegear, the cam shaft section 122 carries a cam spacer 130, the cam disc84 and a retainer washer 132. A cap screw 134 engaged to the outer endof the cam shaft bears against the retainer washer 132, and maintainsthe assembly in firm engagement with the shoulder 124.

The output gear 76 and change gear 80 are both engaged by idler gear 78,which is rotatably mounted on stub shaft 136 of the swing bracket 138.The swing bracket is adjustably mounted by means of its offset stud 140which extends through slot 116 of lug portion 114, and may be fixed tothe lug portion in a variety of positions as by nut 142. This versatilemounting of the swing bracket, it will be evident, permits verticaladjustment of the stud 140 within slot 116 and lateral swinging movementof the bracket thereabout as well, whereby the stub shaft 136 and idlergear 78 may be adjustably positioned with complete freedom, and securedin desired position to engage any required combination of output andchange gears.

Between lugs 110 and 112 the cam shaft 82 carries a fixed collar 144 anda longitudinally movable but preferably non-rotatable collar 146.Between collar 146 and the adjacent lug 112 is interposed a frictiondisc 148, and a similar friction disc 150 is mounted on the cam shaftimmediately on the other side of the lug 112, between the lug and theshaft collar 126. A coil spring 152 compressed between collars 144 and146 maintains firm contact between collar 146, friction disc 148 and lug112, and urges the cam shaft inwardly, that is to the right as shown inFigure 2, thereby maintaining firm contact between shaft collar 126,friction disc 150 and lug 112.

Immediately below the cam disc the base plate 100 mounts an invertedU-shaped bracket 154, which supports the pivot pin 156 of rocker arm158. One end of the rocker arm carries the follower 90, and the oppositeend is engaged to switch 88. The switch 88 conveniently may be aconventional micro-switch, incorporating means resiliently urging itsarm 160 outwardly, whereby the follower 90 is maintained in firm contactwith the periphery of cam disc 84. As shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, theswitch 88 is supported by a bracket 162 mounted on the base plate of theunit.

In operation, the front roll 22 is driven by the cylinder shaft 10,through gears 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20. From this drive path, the drive istransmitted to the back roll 32 through gears 24, 26, 28 and 30, and theback roll drive is utilized to turn the intermediate roll, by means ofgears 34, 36, and 38. The drawing rolls are driven at predetermineddifferent speeds, the rotational speed of the intermediate roll 40exceeding that of the back roll 32 to effect drafting therebetween, andthe rotational speed of front roll 22 exceeding that of the intermediateroll, so that further drafting is effected between the intermediate andfront rolls.

The slubbing mechanism includes an alternate, parallel drive to thedrafting rolls 32 and 40, taken in this case from the intermediate gear18, and transmitted through shaft 44, sprocket 46, chain 48,electro-magnetic clutch 52, chain 56 and sprocket 58 to the overrunningclutch 42. The sprockets 46 and 58 are sized so that the drive to theoverrunning clutch exceeds in speed that normally imparted to crown gear26 by the front roll gear 24, whereby the alternate drive is adapted,when electromagnetic clutch 52 is energized and engaged, to drive rolls32 and 40 through overrunning clutch 42 at a speed exceeding thatnormally imparted to these rolls by the crown gear.

The front roll 22 of the frame runs at constant speed at all times, andperiodic speeding up of the rolls 32 and 48, it will be understood, iseffective to temporarily cause reduction in draft between rolls 40 and22, and thereby form thick places or slubs in the yarn. The length ofeach slub is determined by the time interval during which the back rollsare rotated at abnormal speeds, that is by the length of the intervalsduring which the alternate drive is effective, and the diameter of eachslub is determined by the extent of increase in back roll speeds asrelated to their normal speeds. The frequency of occurrence of the slubsand the intervals therebetween are determined by the operation of thealternate drive, in particular the electro-magnetic clutch thereof. Theactuation of the electro-magnetic clutch is of course effected by thesignal generator 60.

The signal generator, as illustrated, is driven by the front roll drivegear 20, through gear 62, shaft 66, sprocket 64 and chain 68. The chain68 drives gear reducer 72, whereby the drive speed is greatly reduced.The gear reducer drives output gear 76, and through idler gear 78 thechange gear 80, cam shaft 82 and the cam disc 84. As will be evident, asingle revolution of the cam disc 84 represents the drafting of anextended length of yarn.

As the cam disc rotates, the follower will enter and leave each dwell orslot 86 formed therein. As the follower enters each slot, resultantmovement of the rocker arm 158 on its pivot 156 permits switch 88 toclose, thereby energizing the electro-magnetic clutch 52, effectingengagement of the clutch and formation of a slub. As the follower 90leaves each slot 86, the circuit through switch 88 is broken, and theelectromagnetic clutch 52 is thereby disengaged. The length of each slubis accordingly controlled by the length of each cam slot 86, and thefrequency of slub formation is controlled by the number of slots in thecam and their spacing. The cam disc accordingly constitutes a patterncontrol, and each complete revolution thereof represents a complete slubpattern, or a whole number of complete slub patterns.

The slub pattern effected by the signal generator may be readily alteredby removing the cam disc 84, and replacing it with a similar disc havinga distinctive slot pattern formed in the peripheral edge thereof. It isan outstanding feature of the present invention that this may be donewith maximum ease, and very quickly. For such purpose it is requiredonly that cap screw 134 be threaded out of the cam shaft enlargedsection 122. The retainer washer 132 is thereby freed and may beremoved, and the cam disc removed and replaced by another. Replacementof the retainer washer and the cap screw then returns the device tooperative condition, and operation with a different slub pattern mayproceed. The cam disc is of extremely simple design, and may be formedof a plate seven inches in diameter and one-eighth inch thick. Cuttingof the cam slots 86 in the cam disc is a simple milling or machiningoperation.

The length of a slub cycle may be altered with comparable ease, sincethis requires no more than a substitution of a different sized changegear 80. To accomplish this, the idler gear may be disengaged byloosening nut 142, and swinging bracket 138 outwardly away from thechange gear. The cap screw, retainer washer and cam disc may be removedas previously described, and the cam spacer and change gear removed insimilar fashion. A change gear of different diameter may then bepositioned on the cam shaft enlarged section 122, the new change gear ofcourse being engaged to the key 128 to prevent relative rotationthereof, and the cam spacer, cam disc, retainer washer and cap screwthen replaced. Thereafter, the idler gear may be positioned inengagement with the new change gear and the output gear 76, and fixed insuch adjusted position by tightening nut 142. For a greater range ofslub cycle length, the output gear 76 may also be substituted by acomparable gear of different diameter in similar fashion, the idler gearmounting being ideally adapted to facilitate this change also.

If it be desired to change the thickness of the slubs formed, this maybe accomplished conveniently by suitably changing a drive sprocket ofthe alternate drive through the electro-magnetic clutch. For example,the drive sprocket 46 and the engaged sprocket on the clutch input shaft50 may be removed and replaced by another pair, effective to change thedrive ratio through the electromagnetic clutch.

The spring 152, in conjunction with the friction discs 148 and 150,operates as a friction brake on the cam shaft, eliminating backlashwhich might result in jerky operation. In particular, this expedientmaintains the cam follower 90 rolling, and prevents it from jumping intoor out of the cam slots 86.

The signal generator is both simple and sturdy, and capable of operatingfor extended periods with occasional lubrication and no other attention.Its simplified design results in low unit cost, and the powerconsumption thereof is negligible. The unit is extremely compact, beingcontained almost entirely within the confines of the cam disc, as bestshown in Figure 4. The compact arrangement is made possible primarily bymounting the cam shaft on the gear reducer, and by extension of the camshaft beyond the output shaft 74 of the gear reducer, whereby the gears76, 78 and 80 are disposed close together and beind the cam disc.

As previously indicated, the signal generator exhibits extremeversatility, and a wide range of slub patterns may be utilized at willthrough the maintenance of a small inventory of cam discs and changegears. The invention permits individual control for each spinning frame,whereby a plurality of slub patterns may be reduced simultaneously in asingle mill. The slub pattern established by the cam disc is producedcontinuously and with outstanding uniformity, and the slubs formed ineach cycle are of comparable uniform size.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention astructure in which the various objects hereinbefore set forth, togetherwith many practical advantages, are successfully achieved. As variouspossible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features of the aboveinvention, all without departing from the scope thereof, it is to beunderstood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in alimiting sense.

We claim:

1. A signal generator for spinning frame slubbling mechanism comprisinga drive shaft, a cam shaft mounted parallel to said drive shaft andextended therebeyond, a drive gear mounted on said drive shaft, a camgear mounted on said cam shaft in general alignment with said drivegear, an idler gear engaging said drive gear and said cam gear, a swingbracket mounting said idler gear for adjustable positioning thereof, adisc cam detachably mounted on said cam shaft between said cam gear andthe extended end of said cam shaft, friction means effective to brakethe rotation of said cam shaft and the associated disc cam, a switch,and switch actuating means engaging the periphery of said disc cam.

2. A signal generator for spinning frame slubbing mechanism comprising agear reducer having input and output shafts, a bracket mounted on saidgear reducer, said bracket having a vertical slot therein, a cam shaftrotatably mounted on said bracket parallel to said output shaft andextending therebeyond, a drive gear mounted on said output shaft, a camgear mounted on said cam shaft in general alignment with said drivegear, a swing bracket, a stud extending from one end of said swingbracket adjustably positioned in said bracket slot, an idler.

gear mounted on the opposite end of said swing bracket engaging saiddrive gear and said cam gear, a disc cam detachably mounted on said camshaft between said cam gear and the extended end of said cam shaft, anelectric switch, and switch actuating means engaging the periphery ofsaid cam disc.

3. A signal generator as defined in claim 2, including resilient meansdisposed between said bracket and said cam shaft, said resilient meansbeing effective to maintain said cam shaft normally in extreme rearwardposition and to frictionally brake the rotation of said cam shaft andthe associated disc cam.

4. In combination with a spinning frame, a drive for said spinningframe, a slubbing mechanism including a signal generator comprising adrive shaft connected to and driven by said spinning frame drive, a camshaft mounted parallel to said drive shaft and extending there beyond, adrive gear mounted on said drive shaft, a cam gear mounted on said camshaft in general alignment with said drive gear, an idler gear engagingsaid drive gear and said cam gear, a disc cam detachably mounted on saidcarn shaft between said cam gear and the ex-.

tended end of said cam shaft, a switch, and switch actuating meansengaging the periphery of said disc cam.

5. In combination with a spinning frame, a drive for said spinning frameincluding intermediate and crown gears, a slubbing mechanism includingan alternate drive between the intermediate and crown gears of saidframe, an overrunning clutch in said crown gear, an electromagneticclutch in said alternate drive, and a signal generator controlling theoperation of said electro-magnetic clutch, said signal generatorcomprising a drive shaft connected to and driven by the spinning framedrive, a cam shaft mounted parallel to said drive shaft and extendingtherebeyond, a drive gear mounted on said drive shaft, a cam gearmounted on said cam shaft in general alignment with said drive gear, anidler gear engaging said drive gear and said cam gear, a disc camdetachably mounted on said cam shaft between said cam gear and theextended end of said cam shaft, a switch, and switch actuating meansengaging the periphery of said disc cam.

6. In combination with a spinning frame, a drive for said spinning frameincluding intermediate and crown gears, a slubbing mechanism includingan alternate drive between the intermediate and crown gears of saidframe, an overrunning clutch in said crown gear, an electromagneticclutch in said alternate drive, and a signal gen erator controlling theoperation of said electro-magnetic clutch, said signal generatorcomprising a gear reducer having input and output shafts, said inputshaft being connected to and driven by said spinning frame drive, a camshaft mounted parallel to said output shaft and extending therebeyond, adrive mounted on said output shaft, a cam gear mounted on said cam shaftin general alignment with said drive gear, an idler gear engaging saiddrive gear and said cam gear, a swinging bracket mounting said idlergear for adjustable positioning thereof, a disc cam detachably mountedon said cam shaft between said cam gear and the extended end of said camshaft, a switch, and switch actuating means engaging the periphery ofsaid disc cam.

7. The combination as defined in claim 6, including friction meanseffective to brake the rotation of said cam shaft and the associateddisc cam.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS771,720 Damon et al. Oct. 4, 1904 2,159,650 Alker May 23, 1939 2,163,419Warren June 20, 1939 2,183,886 Hjulian Dec. 19, 1939 2,212,387 CameronAug. 20, 1940 2,304,902 Elvin et a1 Dec. 15, 1942 2,622,282 I-Iare Dec.23, 1952

